Welcome to "Tuesday Morning," a source of cheer and blessing—a place where Christians may pause for a few moments and remember, "Jesus is Lord."

 

The world says, "There's no glory in humility." But the world is ignorant about such things. Humility has divinity written all over it. God Himself bent low to visit a lowly stable two thousand years ago. He could have selected a palace or a country home or a mountain castle. He could have chosen a maiden with a lineage that would impress kings and parliaments. He could have made it an event that all of Israel would remember more than the Law and the Prophets. Instead, he chose a virgin and a carpenter—humble people. And he chose an Innkeeper's barn. And he chose a night so dark that the brightest star in the sky was accompanied by millions of other stars—stretching to the edge of the our galaxy, and beyond. Glory visited humility that night. Philip Yancey expressed it this way (in Christmas Stories for the Heart).

 

"God's visit to earth took place in an animal shelter with no attendants present and nowhere to lay the newborn king but a feed trough. For just an instant the sky grew luminous with angels, yet who saw the spectacle? Illiterate hirelings who watched the flocks of others,'nobodies' who failed to leave their names."

 

Christmas is two weeks away. Fourteen days.Three-hundred, thirty-six hours. Twenty-thousand, one-hundred-sixty minutes. One million, two-hundred-nine thousand, six hundred seconds. (I had to use the calculator to arrive at that number). One million of anything sounds like light years away. We've got two weeks. Two weeks to prepare for Christmas; two weeks to plan for the dinners; two weeks to clean house; two weeks to finish decorating; two weeks to write sermons and lessons; two weeks to attend church services; two weeks to mail Christmas cards; two weeks to complete travel plans; two weeks to wrap presents; two weeks to prepare for the coming of the Christ-child.

 

If you knew you had only two weeks to prepare your heart for the Second Advent of the Christ of Glory, how would you spend it? By doing any of the things listed above? His next Advent will not be to an animal shelter in a small village, with only dumb animals and nameless shepherds to witness the event. It will be observed world-wide. You still have time to prepare for His Coming. Plan carefully. And well.

 

Continue reading below for this week's "Tuesday Morning" piece. It includes clippings from my collection of religious thoughts. Open it whenever you are ready. Then go back to whatever you need to do to prepare for Christmas. But don't forget: Jesus is Lord. And He is coming again.

 

Tom Barnard

A Senior Pilgrim

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   Clippings from the Library

   Tom Barnard

 

…There is in London a lonely grave. For a long time it was completely neglected. Weeds grew over it until the Soviet Embassy later built a fence around it and polished the gravestone. But even so, it is scarcely ever visited by anyone. Nobody puts a flower on it. Nobody sheds tears near it, as a token of affection. It is the grave of Karl Marx.

                                                           —Richard Wurmbrand     

 

…There is another tomb that is not private, and it certainly is not lonely. A Church was constructed over it nearly 1700 years ago. While some have challenged the authenticity of the site, thousands of pilgrims flock to the location every year. People come to worship…to linger…to touch…to lay tributes nearby…to shed tears of affection there…even to rub their clothing against it. Tradition says that Jesus was buried there. It is the Church of the Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

 

…St. Paul made one great mistake when he went to Athens! He spoke about providence. He spoke about creation. He spoke about the government of the universe. He spoke about resurrection. He never mentioned the name of Christ. He never mentioned the cross. And I think that’s why, when he wrote the letter to Corinth, he resolved, “From now on, nothing but Christ and him crucified.” He was a failure at Athens. He never went back to Athens. He never wrote a letter to the Athenians.

                                                             —Fulton J. Sheen

 

…It is interesting that the Bible deals with universals, ages, nations, master races and minds, and addresses worlds in all the ages of progress. But every individual sees his own place in the Word of God, and it speaks to him in his own area of concern. I must see God’s purpose for myself and be faithful to that which comes within the limits of my own vision. I cannot account for the revelation given to someone else—it must be mine!

                                                                              —Kenneth E. Sullivan

 

…It is so much easier to tell a person what to do with his problem than to stand with him in his pain.                                      —David Augsburger

 

WHEN JESUS CAME

by Kathryn Bowsher

 

When Jesus came long years ago

To Bethlehem and a manger low,

The cattle knelt near the Holy One

In homage there to God’s dear Son.

 

As shepherds dwelt on distant hill,

A glory shone over rock and rill;

An angel stood in the midst of them—

The shepherds quaked for fear of him.

 

The angel said, “Why do ye fear?

From Heaven’s throne tidings glad I bear!

For unto you there is born this night,

The Savior-Lord, God’s Child of Light!”

 

Their eyes beheld a wondrous glow

That filled the sky and the earth below,

While angel bands from the realms above

Hosannas sang of God’s great love.

 

The echoes rang that holy morn;

O, earth rejoice! Christ, the Lord, is born!

And peace, good will, toward sinful men,

For Christ is born in Bethlehem!

 

Three wise men found the Bethlehem place,

With rapture gazed on the Christ Child’s face,

Then kneeling there on earthen floor

Gave gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

 

Down through the years on Christmas morn

Men’s hearts rejoice that the Christ was born,

And evermore praise His holy name

For grace and truth—when Jesus came.

 

IF I KNEW

If I knew where to find him,

The baby in the hay,

I’d take a Christmas present

To him this very day.

Two little hands to serve him,

And a loving heart to lift,

And just myself on Christmas day

To be his birthday gift.